Where the money ought to go

There have been lots of meetings this spring...
Meetings of parents. Hearings. Meetings with city councilors. Meetings with school committee members.
I've been to plenty of them. I've heard lots of people talk about education funding.

Not once has anyone said, "you know, we really need a pre-engineering program fully funded."
Or "Gosh, let's fight hard for more AP classes."
Or "Hey, don't the special ed teachers need more in-service?"

I don't think anyone would dispute that those are great and worthy things.
I'm also sure that the time to decorate the windowboxes is not while the house is falling down.

We have schools in this city that are literally crumbling over children's heads. We've got kids getting their parent's science books. We have kids that haven't been near a computer all year. We have every elementary school library in the city closed (unless staffed by volunteers). We've got kids across the city in schools that have a only short visit by a nurse each day. And yes, we still have kids in overcrowded classrooms.

I'm not precisely sure how these glaring lack of basic necessities escaped the attention of some in the school administration. Apparently it has, though, because when asked what the administration would recommend spending additional funds on, their list mentioned not one of these basics.

Not one. Not even a start on one.

Is the rarefied air in the administration building getting to people? Is there such a disconnect between the people in the schools and the people in administration? Does someone have a particular reason for forwarding this list?

I don't really know. I do know that if you have any objection to the money that you fought for being allocated this way, you should let the school committee know before their hearing on Thursday.